Automatic data encryption and access control based on bluetooth device proximity

• US 8,165,525 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eisenbach, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US13/215,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20110305340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/410, 455/411, 380/201, 380/247, 380/268, 380/255, 380/270, 380/277, 380/278
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/08 Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting key management in a packet data network H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system for using Bluetooth devices to secure sensitive data on other Bluetooth devices is described. A Bluetooth device is paired with a “trusted” Bluetooth device. When contact with the trusted device is lost, designated sensitive data on the secured Bluetooth device is automatically encrypted. When contact is restored, the data is automatically decrypted. In an alternate embodiment, a secured device can be associated with multiple trusted devices, and the secured device designate different sensitive data for each trusted device. In this way, multiple users can share a common, “public” Bluetooth device without concern that the other users will access their sensitive data on the device when the device is not being used by that user.

Claims

1. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a radio circuit that includes a wireless radio; and

a baseband circuit operatively coupled to the radio circuit, the baseband circuit comprising a baseband processor,

wherein one or both of the baseband circuit and the radio circuit perform at least the following;

pairing the wireless communications device with a second wireless communications device,

designating the wireless communications device as a secured device and the second wireless communications device as a trusted device for the secured device,

designating at least a portion of a data storage of the secured device as sensitive data,

detecting when the trusted device is no longer in proximity with the secured device by using a wireless communications protocol used by the secured device,

encrypting the sensitive data if the trusted device is no longer in proximity with the secured device, and

decrypting the sensitive data if the trusted device is detected as being in proximity with the secured device.

2. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the baseband circuit comprises a processor core.

4. The wireless communications device according to claim 2, wherein the baseband circuit comprises a ROM or a RAM.

5. The wireless communications device according to claim 4, wherein the wireless communications device or the second wireless communications device comprises a cellular device, and wherein the wireless communications device or the second wireless communications device supports spread spectrum communications.

6. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communications device or the second wireless communications device comprises a cellular phone.

7. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communications device or the second wireless communications device comprises a handheld device, a computer, a laptop computer or a desktop computer.

8. The wireless communications device according to claim 4, wherein the baseband circuit comprises a Bluetooth baseband circuit.

9. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communications device or the second wireless communications device supports phone and GPS services.

10. The wireless communications device according to claim 4, wherein the wireless communications device or the second wireless communications device comprises a mobile phone that supports phone and GPS services.

11. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the baseband circuit comprises a voice codec.

12. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the trusted device comprises one or more of the following:

a handheld device, a cellular phone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a PDA, a key fob, a cellular device and a wireless key device.

14. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the radio circuit and the baseband circuit are part of an integrated circuit chip.

15. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the secured device is locked if the trusted device is no longer in proximity with the trusted device.

16. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the secured device is paired with more than one trusted device.

17. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the secured device is a second trusted device.

18. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the trusted device is a second secured device.

19. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the secured device is paired with a plurality of trusted devices, and wherein each trusted device is associated with a respective sensitive data in the data storage of the secured device that is only accessible to the corresponding trusted device when the corresponding trusted device is in proximity of the secured device.

20. The wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein the secured device and other secured devices are paired with the trusted device.

3. A wireless cellular communication device, comprising:

a radio circuit that includes a wireless radio; and

a baseband circuit operatively coupled to the radio circuit, the baseband circuit comprising a baseband processor,

wherein one or both of the baseband circuit and the radio circuit perform at least the following;

pairing the wireless cellular communications device with a second wireless communications device,

designating the wireless cellular communications device as a secured device and the second wireless cellular communications device as a trusted device for the secured device,

designating at least a portion of a data storage of the secured device as sensitive data

detecting when the trusted device is no longer detectable by the secured device by using a wireless communications protocol used by the secured device,

encrypting the sensitive data if the trusted device is no longer in proximity with the secured device, and

decrypting the sensitive data if the trusted device is detected as being in proximity with the secured device.

13. A wireless cellular communication device that supports spread spectrum communications, comprising:

a radio circuit that includes a wireless radio; and

a baseband circuit operatively coupled to the radio circuit, the baseband circuit comprising a baseband processor and a voice codec,

wherein one or both of the baseband circuit and the radio circuit perform at least the following;

pairing the wireless cellular communications device with a second wireless communications device,

designating the wireless cellular communications device as a secured device and the second wireless cellular communications device as a trusted device for the secured device,

designating at least a portion of a data storage of the secured device as sensitive data,

detecting when the trusted device is no longer detectable by the secured device by using a wireless communications protocol used by the secured device,

encrypting the sensitive data if the trusted device is no longer detectable by the secured device, and

decrypting the sensitive data if the trusted device is detected as being in proximity with the secured device.